Winter? Not in the hot world of Marc Jacobs

NEW YORK - It was too hot for winter in the world of Marc Jacobs, as his new collection was unveiled in the final act of New York Fashion Week on Thursday.

On a sepia-lit runway under the cavernous roof of the Lexington Avenue Armory in Manhattan, models strutted out in mini-shorts and mermaid-shiny dresses that banished the February chill.

It was the last show of New York Fashion Week, and now the cavalcade moves on to London, Milan and Paris. But Marc Jacobs made sure to leave his mark.

"It's a sepia world, no filter necessary. Y'all in for a treat tonight," he tweeted ahead of the show, which had been scheduled for Monday but was postponed, ironically, in part because of a blizzard in the US Northeast.

The first part took place in sepia lighting before color returned. Silk and pomegranate reds made the long sparkling dresses even more fluid and - as often during this past week - there was fur aplenty around coat collars.

But the shorts were sometimes so short as to be invisible under the shirts and jackets - making one wonder whether they were there at all.

One model came out in mini shorts but no shirt, covering her breasts with a fishnet-gloved forearm.

Earlier, Ralph Lauren unbottled a dose of Russian soul in his fur hats, black peaked caps and long velvet dresses.

Silk shirts and high-waisted trousers, high boots and big-buckled belts: this was a romantic journey in elegant dark shades and white by the veteran US trendsetter, who was rewarded with a standing ovation.

Held under enormous lights in a Chelsea loft, Lauren's show featured cashmere turtlenecks, embroidered collars, and blends of silk and leather.

The sumptuous evening wear included deep red velvet dresses that wouldn't look out of place on the sofas of a snowbound Russian palace.

By contrast, Calvin Klein's show near Times Square exuded confidence and a touch of military precision, with big, manly coats, large-buckled belts, leather dresses and shining boots.

Even before the big three brought down the final curtain, there were already a myriad of seasonal trends emerging in the eight days of catwalk shows.

Fashionistas saw the sophistication of Alexander Wang, shortly off to head Balenciaga, the subtle architecture of Vera Wang, and the military-inspired aesthetics of Prabal Gurung - not to mention the Rodarte sisters' grunge chic.

More generally, these were collections for autumn-winter 2013-14 brimming with furs, leathers, masculine jackets, big, round-shouldered coats, and high-heeled thigh-high boots.

One highlight was the Oscar de la Renta show, where fashion watchers noted a distinct hint of John Galliano, the disgraced former Dior designer who has been spending time with de la Renta.

Stylesight fashion director Sharon Graubard said "minimalism" and "clean shapes were key," with collections tending to be based around design, rather than broader references.

Even if Michael Kors upset the balance a little with his bright oranges and New York taxi yellows, black was back in a big way.

"For color, and not surprising for New York, there was black on black on black," Graubard told AFP.

"Even designers not usually associated with black - like Reed Krakoff, the Mulleavy sisters at Rodarte, and Vera Wang - showed nearly all-black collections."by Brigitte Dusseau